Kindle
by Ready To Flyxxx
Summary: They've been hurt by something - a monster perhaps, or something greater. Whatever it may have been, it left a mark on them that is slowly eating them from the inside. If they don't act soon, their life will burn away into nothing. Luckily there is a place for them to be cured. All it takes is some training, something called a demon ball, and most of all the will to fight.
1. Chapter 1

_Drip...Drip...Drip…_

"Please," cowers a little girl, her trembling arms clutching her body, and pulling it in on herself. She chokes out another protest, tears pouring in buckets down the side of her face. "Stop!" Her bottom lip quivers. The shadow looms over her, sucking in any and all surrounding light, and from within the shape something terrible growls. The girl's scream catches in the back of her mouth, and releases itself in throat ripping coughs.

 _Drip…Drip...Drip…_

The sound of something hitting the clean marble floor echos throughout the room's expanse - what should be a whisper of a sound turning into something frightfully deafening.

"Don't come near me," she wails, and coughs, and chokes, as she shields her body from the _things_ view. Her head feels light, and if she tries to move, vertigo threatens to overtake her.

A low guttural growl is heard from within the darkness, red eyes peeking through like slowly dying embers, and before the girl can register it, the shadow leaps forward.

She's screaming, she's screaming, she's screaming, she's - dead.

 _Drip...Drip...Drip…_

* * *

They find her body sprawled out on the dew-covered grass somewhere beside an old church too old to keep running. Her face is calm, eyes shut in a peaceful kind of tranquility, and just looking at her stirs something great in the recesses of one's heart, because clearly this girl is the epitome of warmth and beauty, as pure as the freshest of fallen snow on top of the great Mount Silver, and as picturesque as the receding sun as it retires it's place to the moon; anyone would be gracious to be in the presence of such an angel.

Or so one would think.

They take a step closer to her, and as they do a single thought runs through all of their minds: that this girl must be dead, and her soul damned for all eternity.

There is a trail of blood leading up to her left shoulder where a mark of a maleficent black sits so deeply set into her skin that it appears as some kind of birthmark or tattoo. Her skin is pale, and the sad thing is she can't be no more than sixteen. Such a tragedy must have been met here, but something about the mark and the blood doesn't sit well with them. Something terrible sets deep into the pits of their stomachs, because whatever did this to her could not of been human.

There are whispers that go on in the town about other cases like this happening far away, of children like her going missing before turning up half dead with a mark of something horrid lingering on their skin. The whispers speak of slinking shadows with monster-like faces who plague the souls of the living and feed upon their life-force until they are as sunken in, and lifeless as the dead. _The mark burns you,_ they say, _that's how it works; it's how you know they're killing you. I've met with a man before who claimed his son had the same thing. He died half a year later, and there was nothing to be done about it._

They look at the girl on the ground with her fair face and flaxen hair, and wonder how much time she has left before that beauty turns sour. There is an air of pity around them, but an even stronger one of fear, and the latter wins out as it always does, and they take haste in departing, not bothering to look back after her; all except one.

The one who stays is a bulky man whose skin has been darkened and worn down finely from work. His hands may be hefty, but they acquire a kind of gentleness when dealing with this girl, so when he places her head upon his lap, he takes great care in moving her fine brown hair out of her face, and makes sure not to touch her shoulder.

"Wake up," he coaxes, his voice gruff but meaningful, and his words urged with passion. "You must fight this, for you can be cured! Rise, young one, and feel the air around you, and the sun on your skin, and know that you are alive and well today, and you will be for longer. I know a man who can help you." As careful as he can manage, he shakes her slightly. "You aren't the only one who has been hurt like this, and with the man's help you can be cured. So open your eyes!"

The overhead sun has nearly gone away by the time she does awaken, her blue eyes rimmed with tears, and her pink lips too dry to speak. She looks up at her companion with fear. Before she can speak, however, her features suddenly seize up. Something painful has shot through her body, and he doesn't have to ask what it is.

He knows that the burning has already begun.

It starts off with her shoulder feeling as though it is being branded with something fiery and hot - like she's being burned. Liquid fire seems to shoot through her entire being, spreading through her like a blooming kind of stain - angry and maleficent, and entirely bent on destroying her from the inside. The girl's face twists in agony, and she squirms in his embrace, her back arching in a way that pushes her shoulders back, causing a rippling pain to flash through her again. She screams. Then, a seizure starts. Her body goes haywire, and the only thing she can do is give in to these convulsions, letting her body squirm and wiggle itself as it pleases. Everything about her shakes, almost as if the bones underneath her skin are vibrating. His grip on her tightens. The sight before him is terrifying, and in all his years he has never seen something so inhuman. Although her body feels like hot metal, he refuses to release her; he's the closest thing she has to being grounded. After a while, her squirming seems to lessen, and he prays that means the pain has seized along side it. Still, something seems wrong, and to his horror he finds that she is incapable of any movement whatsoever - she's been paralyzed. Heat, Seizures, and then paralysis: the symptoms of this cursed mark.

He closes his eyes. How can such an innocent girl be plagued like this? It's unfair! It's horrid!

After some time, he feels a hand on his upper arm, and looks down at the girl who has begun to move again. He let's out a breath. Good, the paralysis isn't permanent.

"It's alright," he attempts to soothe her, his hands shaking as they brush her brown hair backwards from her forehead, where they were previously stuck with sweat. Her face begins to redden, and upon inspection he finds that her skin is burning again.

Her body is overheating.

Panicking, he racks his brain for a possible solution. "Please, excuse me," he says as he carefully removes one of the strands from her right shoulder. She seems to get the hint, and with as much energy as she possesses, begins to remove the garment. He looks away to give her some privacy, and prays that her body will cool down. "I'm sorry," he says again, because what else is there to say in that moment?

* * *

"My name is May."

He watches her carefully. It's been an hour since the burning happened, and she's still shaken. He understands of course, it's not as if he wasn't affected himself (seeing someone suffer right before your very eyes is hardly something easily forgotten). He knows they need to leave soon, but he'll give her time.

"May," he repeats, weighing the name in his mouth. It rolls off the tongue easily, and he quite likes it. "That's lovely."

"Thank you," she says quietly. May rubs the right side of her arm absentmindedly, and winces as the act strains her left shoulder. The man frowns. The black mark is still exposed, her white dress ripped at the top, and he finds it terribly unnerving. The mark is like the work of the devil, or so the people around here say. He knows the truth of course: it's something far less grasped.

"Now, I know that this situation is -" he rubs his shoulder awkwardly "- a lot to take in, but I need you to listen to me. What you are going through is something unique. There are few who have endured the same pain as you, and few who have made it - but don't lose faith! for you can be cured."

She looks up at him with wide eyes. "How?" Her voice comes out in barely a whisper.

"I know a man. His name is Howard Caprice, and he has created an institution. This place is designed specifically for those like you, and for as long as he has been the dean of the establishment, miracles have occurred...people have lived."

"You mean people have _died_?" A burst of fear flits across her features.

His breath catches in his throat. _Damn it_ , he thinks, _that was not the thing to have said._ "Well," he swallows, there's no use in lying now, "yes; but only because they waited too long to take action. You on the other hand, are lucky in that you've only recently been burned. You have time."

May says nothing.

"Look," he says, lifting up her chin so she will meet his eyes, "It won't come to that. You will be okay." The man looks up at the receding sun, the oranges and pinks mixing together in soft waves. Soon it will be nothing but darkness. "But we have to get moving. You and I will take a train."

"How far is the train? What if I have another fit, what if-" she is cut off by his hand upon her right shoulder (the good one).

"Don't think clouded thoughts, they'll do nobody any good. For now, just focus on the road ahead."

May turns her head to the dirt path that lays in front of her, and takes a deep breath. Carefully, she wills her wobbly legs to stand, and begins her first steps since the accident. "You know," she says as she walks, looking to her left side where he follows behind her small strides, "I don't remember anything but my name."

"You don't remember anything?"

"Nothing."

He tears his gaze away from her. "Well, we'll have to help you remember."

* * *

 **(A/N): Hello readers, thank you very much for taking the time to read what I've written so far! This is going to be my second Multi-chapter story, and I'm super excited! If you have any questions about it so far feel free to ask. I have a lot of ideas for how this is going to go, and I hope that I can deliver a wonderful new story!**

 **Notes: This is going to have a lot of characters, and there will be some shipping (this is me we are talking about) but keep in mind that there is more to this story than that. I feel like some romance will be very important, especially when the characters are dealing with some serious issues and scary moments when they will need to turn to someone to feel safe and in some ways forget some of the things they've seen. I believe the main ships will be: Contestshipping, Pokeshipping, Ikarishipping, and Wishfulshipping. Oh, and for now May will be the main character, because I find her personality fitting for the role. But the spotlight won't be focused only on her.**

 **The chapters will be longer than this as well, this was just the intro.**

 **Pokemon will find their place in this, but in an abstract form as you will see. I think that I would like it to take place in Kanto though.**

 **Anyway, thank you very much! Have a wonderful day!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello readers! Thank you all of you who have reviewed, followed, and favored this story!**

 **Reply to guest: (Sirenskin) Thank you! I hope you enjoy this new chapter too!**

 **Well, I won't keep you guys waiting!**

* * *

The train rumbles steadily along the tracks, its vibrations humming in a gentle purr vastly different from the mighty roar that sounded when it first took off. Outside,the passing scenery blurs together in an array of dimming colors, gaining more and more speed as the ride persists. It's evening, but the sky seems to get darker with each passing second, and soon a cloak of black will wrap its mighty embrace around everything and anything, slinking scenery into its shadows and hiding the world from one's gaze. The train chugs along, undeterred by its reign.

These trains were introduced a few years back. They have already existed in the wealthier of places all around the region, mainly in big cities, and now that they are becoming more common, travel is becoming easier. Still, they aren't incredibly fast, and in some cases tend to break down easily. For May's sake, he hopes that won't happen to them on this ride.

"How are you feeling?" he asks the girl who sits opposite him, her curious eyes taking in the outside. She reluctantly tears her vision away from the window enough to look at him, pushing her brown hair away from her face as she does so. It's long, he finds, and seems to get in the way of her eyes.

She shrugs her shoulders. "Okay I guess." Then, an embarrassed look passes over her features, and she sheepishly begins to speak once again. "Actually...I'm starving."

He laughs, and nods a bit to himself. It makes sense. "You know," he says, "on newer trains they have an area for food. I'm not too sure if we will find that on this dingy thing, but we can try." Her eyes light up when he says this.

"Really?"

He nods. "Before we go out there though, we might need to do something about your appearance…" He motions to her ripped dress, and the stains that have set in. (Luckily they had managed to get on before the ticket master, otherwise questions would have been asked). She frowns. "Don't worry though, I think I can whip something up." He reaches in his pack for an extra shirt. It will be big on her, he knows, probably long enough for a dress, but it will have to do. He hands her the dark blue shirt, which she accepts with a smile, and then reaches for another item. When he looks back up she has already put the shirt on over her dress. It hides the remnants of what remained after her attack, which is good. The black mark no longer stares at him. It's as if it has become silenced. "Now for the last thing." He places a piece of red fabric in her small hands.

"What's this for?" she asks, a puzzled expression taking up her features. She holds it up in front of her face.

"To keep your hair back," he replies. "It's a bandana." A smile grazes her features, and she ties it around her head with a flourish. It looks good on her, and in all honesty fits her better than that silly white dress she had been wearing previously. She looks more herself. "Now I just have one last thing to say to you before we go out to the next cart."

"Okay, what's that?"

"If you feel a burning again, you have to tell me. We can't attract attention to ourselves."

Her gaze hardens. He knows that talking about the mark is a sore topic for her, but she has to know this - she has to comprehend. Everything about it is dangerous. The truth is, people don't understand what the mark is, and even if they did, they wouldn't want to believe it. In fact, there is a group of people known as the Branders who make it their sole objective to eradicate those they find infected with the mark. They are radical members of the church who believe that the marks are the sign of the devil, and they'll bran anyone they find guilty of this heresy (as they call it), and anyone helping them. If May were to have a burning fit on this train, then their members would be signified as soon as possible, and both of them would be as good as dead.

Although May doesn't quite understand, she finds herself nodding. After all, she can see the urged look of passion lying in his eyes, and knows that she mustn't question it. "Alright," she agrees. "Now let's go find some food!"

They open the sliding door of their cart, before stepping out into the aisle, and walking down its expanse. May leads the way, her head whipping from side to side in an eager attempt to find anything edible. The ground is covered in a rich colored red carpet marred with mud-covered footprints of every size. May glances down at her own feet, which are bare.

"We'll have to get you some shoes," he remarks. "I'm sure they'll have clothes for you at the institution."

"Hey, where is this institution anyway?" she asks curiously.

"Far away, I'm afraid. We will have a long train ride ahead of us."

"How do you know so much about it?"

"Well…" he trails off. He doesn't want to overwhelm her with so much information, especially when it's as complicated as it is. Still, she deserves to know, and what she has asked is not much, so he gives in."I work there." He sees her blue eyes widen.

"You do? That's - Oof!" May suddenly trips over a crease in the carpet. Her body tips forward, and before he has time to catch her, she collides with the door in front of her, her left side bearing the weight of the fall. She cringes, and a sharp cry of pain escapes her lips. She must of hit her shoulder. He curses at the sight. That can't be good. She's biting her lip to keep from crying out more, but he can tell that she won't last long. _Damn it_ , he thinks, looking around at his surroundings. His head snaps to his right when he hears a sliding sound of one of the cart doors opening, and as fast as he can he shoves May into the door behind him, shutting it with a bang.

An older man walks out of his cart, his lips pressed into a thin line, and his grey eyebrows furrowed. There is a metallic diamond pinned onto his chest- right above his heart - and something lurches in the pit of his stomach as he sees this. That pin means he's one of _them_.

* * *

May grunts as her companion pushes her body into another room, causing her to land right on her knees. A sharp jab of pain prickles through her shoulder, reminding her of what had just happened. _Right_ , she had been stupid enough to run into a wall, and on her hurt shoulder no less. That was definitely not the smartest thing she's ever done. Groaning, she begins to pick herself up off of the ground, making a mental note never to do that again.

"Um, excuse me?"

May's head shoots up to meet a pair of striking green eyes. They are an enthralling color - pale enough that it looks as if light is seeping right through them. Upon closer inspection she finds that they belong to a boy. He's about the same height as her, maybe a little taller, which means that he's probably within close proximity to her age. He has light skin, a thin build, and, surprisingly enough, green hair. She's never seen anything like it, and a more girlish part of her wonders what it would feel like to touch the feathery looking strands. The most prominent thing, however, which erases any form of attraction she may have had towards him, is the haughty smile that has graced his lips. He's sneering at her.

May stumbles backwards.

"Can I help you?" he asks, that same smirk still tugging on his lips. His eyes, which May found so intriguing, seem to give her a once over, as if measuring up her worth. Her face grows red under his intense gaze.

"I'm sorry!" she apologizes roughly, groping the wall for any signs of the door handle. _Why on earth did he push me in here!?_ she thinks to herself frantically. The boy raises an eyebrow at her. "I didn't mean to come in here."

"Come in here? It was more like you fell in. What kind of maniac falls through a door the way you did? Are you clumsy or something?" His voice doesn't seem angry at all, even though he has every right to be. Instead he sounds almost amused. May doesn't like being laughed at, so she puffs her cheeks out in annoyance, abandoning her previous attempts at escape.

"For your information," she begins with a scowl, "I did not fall in here. I was _pushed_." She stresses the last word, hoping he'll get the message. Unfortunately for her, he doesn't seem to buy it.

"Really?"

"Yes!"

A low chuckle escapes his lips. " _Right_ , okay then. Well as much of a pleasure it was to be...graced with your company-" _damn his sarcasm_ "-this is still my cart, and I would appreciate it if you would leave."

Her cheeks burn. It's like he's accusing her of being an intruder or something (which she is, but it wasn't her fault!). She glares at him, before sticking her nose up in the air. "Gladly! Like I said before, I was pushed in here! I didn't want to come in."

He looks like he is about to retort, but before he has the chance to, a strangled cry cuts through the atmosphere, coming from another door inside. The boy's face blanches. Completely abandoning the conversation, he rushes towards the door where the sound was heard, sliding it open with all of his might. Inside lies a tanned boy with black hair burying his head into his lap.

"Ash," the green haired boy calls out worriedly.

The boy doesn't look up. Instead, another cry escapes his lips, and his body jerks forward, knocking him off of the bed he had been residing on. May can see the lump of his body clearly now. Frantically, Drew stumbles over to him, and turns his body over so his chest faces the ceiling. May's stomach somersaults as she gazes at the boy's face where two black marks sit perched against his tanned skin; he's infected, just like her.

The kid's chest heaves forward, and as if suddenly realizing where he is, he lets out a high pitched cry. "Drew!" His features contort into a look of pain.

"Okay, calm down," the green haired boy, Drew, says in an attempt to soothe him. "Just ease back, you know as well as I do that having your body on edge only makes it worse." May stands away from them still in shock. There's someone like her; and from what the green haired menace said, it seems like he knows about it too - he could just as well be infected.

On the ground, the tanned boy squirms. His forehead begins to break out in a sweat which sticks his raven hair against his skin. His breathing has become more ragged, and May forces her head away from the sight. Her own shoulder throbs.

Drew's voice brings her vision back towards them. "Okay, Ash you're going to have to listen to me," he says slowly, "you can't scream. I know it hurts, but _please_ , try to remain calm." The dark haired boy's eyes fill with tears. May sees his nails dig themselves into his palms, and if he doesn't stop, blood is bound to surface. Suddenly his body begins to flail around rapidly as he loses all control over his actions. May hates that part, truly she does. She squeezes her eyes shut again.

Time passes in utter silence, save for a few muffled groans from the kid Ash. A wave of sadness erupts in the pit of her gut, and it's something she's sure she'll never get used to. When she finally gains enough courage to open her eyes, the paralysis has already set in.

"Don't worry," she offers, her voice shaking. Drew snaps his vision towards her, eyeing her with a glare. He seemed to have forgotten she was there. May continues, despite the thrumming of her heart over the sound of her voice. "It's almost over." Drew's glare changes into a look of curiosity. Before she can communicate that she knows what he is going through, Ash speaks.

"No," he chokes out, "it's not."

May watches in horror as his body goes through another fit, the twin scars upon his cheeks offering him a deal for two.

* * *

The old man stares at him with the biggest look of disgust he has ever seen.

"The hell is goin' on out here!?" the senior complains, the words flying out from his cracked lips along with a few droplets of spit. The pin on his chest shines from the overhead light.

 _May will be alright,_ he thinks to himself _, I just have to take care of this guy._

"Terribly sorry, sir," he begins, sweating under the gaze of the senior's silver eyes. "I accidently tripped. These carpets get me every time."

"Well watch out! Yer causing a ruckus!"

"Right, it won't happen again."

The old man's lips curl into a snarl. "You'd be best to go back to yer cart. I just received word about two children on this train who may be infected." His words hold malice as he says this.

The younger man's eyes go wide. That is not good. "Two?" he asks.

"Aye, two of the little buggers. Don't worry though-" he pats his leg where hidden beneath the fabric of his clothes lies what appears to be a gun, "-I've been ordered to take care of 'em."

A bead of sweat rolls down the side of his face as he gazes at the senior's weapon. Not good. Not good at all.

Right as the old man begins to retreat back into the depths of his cart, a scream is heard. To the younger man's horror it seems to be coming from the door right behind him - the one he shoved May in.

"Wait, ye hear that?" the old man asks, a scowl enveloping his features, twisting the wrinkles around his face in a way that obscures his eyes. His head turns towards the door. "Move."

"Wh-what?"

"Ye heard me, I told ye to move."

He shuts his eyes - not good. As soon as the senior makes a move towards the door, he blocks his path.

"Hey! What are ye doing!?" cries the old one. "I told ye to move!"

Inwardly cursing, he racks his brain for some kind of response, an excuse - _anything_. "I can't let someone like you go in there! If it's one of them you'll get harmed!"

"Who the hell do ye think ye're!? I'm goin' te report ye!"

The old man shoves him aside before sliding the cart door open with all of his might. There is a loud creaking sound that emits from the door (that or his bones), and there is nothing he can do to stop it. The door slides open, and he rears his head over to where he is sure May lies.

* * *

What they find is, admittedly, a surprise for both of them. There is a young boy with green hair holding in his arms what appears to be a girl(and to the younger man's relief it's May). The two stand in the middle of the room, and the boy has tilted her face dangerously close to his own, almost as if her we're going to kiss her. In fact, if they had come in any later, the deed may have been done.

The old man's face erupts in color. "M-my," he stutters, backing up until he runs into the younger man. "I'm serry fer intruding."

They stumble apart, and the green haired boy lets out a disgruntled sound from the back of his throat. "Really?" he asks, sounding all in all annoyed. The younger man flicks his eyes towards May, whose back is rigid. She refuses make eye contact with him.

"I'm serry," the senior repeats, turning so his front is towards the entrance, as if that's the only way he can provide them with privacy. " I heard a scream."

"Oh that? No need to worry, my girlfriend just thought she saw a rat." A smirk graces his features. "You know how these trains are...filthy…"

Girlfriend? Now the younger man knows the boy is lying. He just wonders how he knew to do so.

The old man, however, seems to have bought the story, and begins to back up towards the door. "Well, serry fer intruding. If ye see any funny business though, ye better tell me!"

"Will do," the boy replies, clearly eager to have him leave. The senior retires back to whence he came, and the younger man follows him, making eye contact with the green haired boy as he exits. He doesn't know what went on in the room, but May seems unharmed, so he lets his body relax.

* * *

As soon as the door shuts behind them, May explodes. She backs away from Drew as far as the room's expanse allows, and begins rubbing her cheeks to get rid of the hotness. A blush has found itself into her cheeks, and she knows that it won't be going down anytime soon. She can't believe he...he...almost _kissed_ her like that.

She thinks back to the events that occurred, cringing at her past self:

 _The raven haired boy had let out a rapid stream of curses as his body underwent a second burn. It was clearly putting too much strain on his body, and unfortunately for everyone in the room, he screamed. It was an agonizing sound that hurt May's ears, and she had to shut her eyes as tightly as she could possibly manage to try to zone it out._

 _Drew on the other hand, began to freak out._

" _Ash" he yelled in an exasperated voice, "please, you have to calm down. If anyone finds us we'll be dead!" Seeing that Ash was in no condition to listen, he grabbed the tanned boy's shoulders, and pulled him back onto the bed he had been on before his condition began._

" _Be careful with him!" May admonished. She didn't want Ash to feel more pain._

 _Drew had spoke through clenched teeth. "There's nothing I can do about it! You wouldn't understand!" His green hair seemed to brush against his eyelashes when he turned his head towards May, so he flicked it with his hand to get it out of his eyes. It was a gesture that could have been used in many ways, she thought._

 _She clenched her fists. "But I do know!"_

 _Before more arguing could commence, the sound of someone trying to open the sliding door was heard. May's heart skipped a beat._

" _Shit," Drew cursed. In a panicked motion he tossed Ash's body onto the bed (luckily his mark was on his face and not on his body, or that would have hurt). "Sorry Ash, but we can't afford to get caught." With that, he forced the door shut tightly behind him. "Please be quiet," he pleaded. His work was still not done though, and because of this he chose to gaze at May with a half smirk - half grimace glued to his features._

" _What?" she asked, still confused to why he was freaking out._

" _I'm sorry, but we need a distraction." Then he had promptly gathered her into his arms, and began to lean his head down until his lips hovered dangerously close to his own._

 _That was when she heard the sound of the door sliding open._

May has never felt so mortified.

"You're welcome for saving your life," Drew mumbles, frowning at the sight of her. He can't believe she's being so ungrateful. It's not like he actually kissed her or anything.

"S-saving my life!? What are you talking about!?"

"Those men out there might have been Branders. I had to get rid of them, for Ash's sake and mine. If you're one of us, like you seem to claim you are, then It did you a whole lot of good too."

May flops herself back down on one of the seats, hopelessly lost. "I don't understand. What is a Brander, why would you need to get rid of them, and what does any of it have to do with the mark!?"

"Oh my god," Drew groans, "you don't know _anything_ do you?"

Before May gets the urge to slap him, Ash peaks his head out from his hiding place. "Is is safe to come out?" he asks, oblivious to the tension in the room. Drew observes him for a moment, and after seeing his condition, nods. The boy makes his way over to them with a smile on his face, clearly pleased to be out of that prison. To May's surprise he plops himself right down beside her.

"Ash, this girl has much to learn," Drew says to him, as if she wasn't sitting right there. May scoffs.

"Don't worry, I still don't get half the things he tells me," Ash assures her. She smiles at the boy, and sticks her tongue out at Drew. "The name's Ash, by the way."

"May," she replies, and holds her hand out.

* * *

The man begins to knock on the door that the old man had previously barged into (the one May was in). It took a while to get rid of the senior, mostly because he kept going on and on about how youngsters these days didn't know how to control themselves, and that these trains needed to invest in some rat traps that could also trap the infected. It was a long enduring conversation, and he had half a mind to lie and say he was infected, just to get the man to stop talking for at least five seconds. Still, it's not as if it matters anymore - what matters is helping May.

There is a muffled sound of foot prints coming from the other side of the door, before the green haired boy's head peaks out. His green eyes go wide as he sees him, but only for a second before they ease back into their confident state.

"Oh," he begins in his drawling voice, "it's you again. Is there a problem?"

"Look, I'll make this quick," the man replies, knowing that if he doesn't hurry up the old man may return. Drew raises his eyebrows, but doesn't interrupt. "May's in there, and I need to talk to you.

-we have much to discuss."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello readers! Thank you so much for the lovely reviews! Shout out to: Sapphire2112, Kyrania, and Queenspeller67! Means a lot!**

 **Reply to guest: (sapphire2112) Great to see you again! I always look forward to reading your reviews! They mean a ton. I don't know the shipping Lucaya, but I will be sure to check it out! I appreciate your kind words :) And I hope this story turns out alright!**

 **There will be some violence in this chapter, so be aware.**

* * *

"How long have you two been infected?" the man asks Drew and Ash as they sit inside the train cart.

After explaining to the green haired boy - Drew as he later found out - that he was in no way associated with the Branders, and after assuring him that he knew May, the boy finally opened the door up for him (even if it was a bit reluctantly). The man was surprised to find another boy when he came into the room as well, but May had told him the story of what happened, so it began to make sense. He had also found out a little more about the two of them.

Ash and Drew had met each other on the train, and because they were headed in the same direction, decided to travel together. This was upon Ash's request. Drew preferred to go solo, and almost refused until he started having his own burning fit. He would caused quite the ruckus if it weren't for Ash being there. The raven haired boy saved his life in a way, so it only made sense that the two of them should stick around each other. They were on more than one train until they reached this one, since they lived so far away. Ash's town, the one called Pallet, had been the farthest. Drew refused to say the name of his.

"Almost a week, I guess," replies Ash, rubbing the back of his head.

Drew nods his head in confirmation before speaking. "More for me."

The two of them sit next to each other on a couch inside the cart - Ash on the left, and Drew on the right. May is sitting on the arm of the couch next to Drew, mostly keeping to herself. The boys, May thinks, make an odd duo. Ash is loud and rambunctious, his dirt-covered clothes full of tears and holes, and his hair a mess on the top of his head. Drew on the other hand, is far more reserved, but also has a haughty air around him that is insanely _aggravating_. His hair is neat, and his clothing lacking the clear signs of destruction found on Ash's, and all in all of you were to place the two of them next to each other, they would seem as polar opposites. Yet, they're friends.

"Okay," the man says. "Now I need to ask, why are you on this train?" He folds his arms over his chest, and awaits their answers.

Ash chooses to speak first. "Isn't it obvious? We're going to the Institution."

May's head perks up. "You are too!?" she asks. The two boys nod.

"Yup, we were told it was the only place to go to get better."

"How did you find out about the place?" came the man's next question. "Or rather, who told you?"

Drew bristles suddenly. "What is this, an interrogation?" His features morph into a scowl. There is a crease that makes itself present between his eyes, and May wishes she could just it smooth over. Why is he getting so worked up all of a sudden anyways?

"It's an important question."

"Yeah well, it's not like any of this is your business."

"Hey," says Ash, putting his hand against Drew's shoulder, "it's okay." The green haired boy shrugs him off.

"No it's not!" Drew growls. May frowns. Whatever it is, he really doesn't want to talk about it. Still, her companion said it was an important question, so if it is vital to their situation at hand, he has to tell them.

"Maybe we should move on to another question," she says, trying to keep the peace. If it's important they can get it out of him later.

"May you don't understand, I need to know this. Was it from a random person, or someone who claimed to work there?" the man presses further, his stormy eyes boring into Drew's. The green haired boy sets his jaw, refusing to speak. "Tell me," he says again, his voice firmer.

"Why should I!?" Drew barks, finally breaking under his gaze. "Why should I tell you? We don't even know your name, or who you are!" He throws his hands up in exasperation.

"Fine, you want to know why this is important!?" the man's voice booms. "I work at the Institution, okay? Last week one of our members went missing. She left on a mission to find people like you to bring back, something that is an everyday occurrence. Only, she hasn't communicated back for far too long. Now if you heard about this place from her then that would lead me to believe you know who she is, and also where, so you are going to stop being so obstinate and tell me already!"

Silence suddenly fills the room's expanse. It passes as long as a burning fit lasts, and May feels as though she is choking on the tension in the air."Solidad," comes Ash's voice, small and quiet, and utterly broken.

Drew stands up out of his seat, before striding over to the other room, and shutting the door with a bang.

Ash hangs his head.

* * *

 _Solidad found Drew in his town pharmacy begging for medicine. He was on his hands and knees bowing his head at the owner who looked at him as if he were the plague._

" _Please," Drew had screamed, momentarily looking up, and revealing his tear-streaked face to Solidad. "I need help! It's my chest, I'm...I'm -" he was cut off as the owner whacked him across the head with a broom._

" _You're one of them infectees!" she accused, readying herself for another attack. "Get out of my sights before you bring bad luck, there's no help for you!"_

" _P-please! I -" Whack! Drew recoiled from the hit. He scrambled to his feet as she swung her broom again, cursing as loud as she could as she did so. He booked it out of the door just as the woman began to throw a bottle at him. He barely had time to dodge._

 _Solidad caught up to Drew as he ran, and yelled to get his attention. "Hey! Stop!" He turned his head around to see her, but as he did so his feet stumbled over one another, causing him to trip. He face-planted into the dirt. "Are you okay!?" He lifted his head up, cringing._

" _I'm fine," he said, spitting out some dirt. Drew clutched the left side of his chest with his hand, his breathing raspy._

" _Your chest." She pointed at the spot. "You've been attacked haven't you?"_

" _Shouldn't that be obvious?" came his response. He looked at her with a flat expression on his face, and let out a sigh. "I mean, you already heard me in that store, right?" He rubbed his face, which was red from humiliation. No wonder his response was so cheeky._

 _Solidad rolled her eyes. He was just lucky she took pity on him. "Look, I know you're on edge," she reprimanded, "but there's no need to get snappy with me."_

 _Drew peered up at her. She was a tall young woman with dark pink hair, and a kind aura all about her. He pushed himself to his feet. "You're right, sorry."_

" _Don't worry about it. Listen, I'm here to help."_

" _Help? I don't know if you realized this, but there's no medicine in the world that can help me. My parents say I'm dying - well actually they told me I'm destined for life beyond the grave. It wasn't a very poetic way of putting it as they thought."_

" _Aren't you the optimistic one."_

" _Excuse me for not having a smile on my face."_

 _Solidad sighed. "Okay, what if I told you there's a place that can help you? It's called the Institution, and by going there you can get better."_

 _Drew raised his eyebrows. "Better? How so?"_

 _She smiled, and held her hand out. "You'll have to trust me."_

 _._

 _._

 _._

" _Drew!" Solidad screamed, her voice breaking. Her eyes were wide with fear, and her head swished from side to side in a mad attempt to find him. She ran as fast as her legs would allow her to, ignoring the burning sensation that they brought. Around her, trees loomed over her body like giants, their spindly branches reaching out towards her, threatening to snag her clothing and pull her towards their embrace. Plants sliced at her legs as she flew passed them causing blood to surface on her skin. She paid them no attention. "Drew!" she screamed again, this time even more frantically._

" _Solidad!" she heard Drew's voice sound. Her chest heaved with a sigh of relief - he was okay. But then her heart stopped as she heard his scream. Was it a burning fit, or something else!? Her mind raced with unanswered questions, and she bolted in the direction of the sound, praying that he was alright._

" _You can't do this to me," she said to herself, blinking back tears. "Not now." She had never failed to protect one of her companions, not ever. It was her_ _ **duty**_ _. She would bring him to the Institution even if it killed her._

 _Finally she found him: he was lying on the ground in one of the forest clearings, screaming his lungs bloody. His body was squirming in every direction, and he gave a cry of protest with every motion. Her heart pounded in her ears at the sight. "Drew hang in there," she called out to him, hoping that he wasn't too far gone not to hear her. Then, she heard a rustle, and whipped her head in the direction of the sound. Someone was watching them._

" _Who goes there!?" she yelled out in a booming voice, her eyes piercing through the darkness. There was a man staring at them with wide eyes. She could barely make out the silver pin against his chest - but she knew he was one of them. "Leave," she ordered. "Please, you can't do this to him, he's just a boy!"_

" _That's no boy," came the man's response, "that's a demon!"_

" _He's just a kid!"_

" _He's infected!"_

 _From the ground, Drew gave another ear piercing scream, and Solidad heard the click of the man's gun._

" _I'll dispose of the trash from this earth!" he promised. Solidad inched forward._

" _If you do that," she said slowly and powerfully, "I'll have no choice but to hurt you." The leaves beneath her feet crunched as she stepped over them, the sound suddenly defeating in her ears. All of her senses became heightened as she focused on her target._

 _She would bring Drew to the Institution safely; she would save him, and he would have a chance!_

" _Take one step closer and I'll shoot you too!"_

 _She charged at the man as fast as she could, not paying any attention to his threat. He shot his gun, but unluckily for him he missed. Solidad screamed out as she tackled his body to the ground. As he fell, Solidad heard a sickening sound of crunching metal slicing through the atmosphere. To the her and the man's horror they found that his shoulder had fell on a bear trap, chopping through his flesh. He screamed out as blood began to soak his shirt. Solidad got to her feet, backing away unsteadily._

" _I warned you," she spoke, her eyes filling with tears at the sight of him. "I warned you!" His agonizing cries of pain made her want to throw up. She backed up until she was next to Drew, and fell to the ground by his side. Her ears were ringing. "Drew," she choked out, "are you okay?" That was the only thing that mattered._

" _I'm okay," he replied, his body still phased from his burn. "Soliad, I'm sorry - I shouldn't have came out here! I was just trying to find a shortcut to the next station, and you could have been hurt, you-" she cut him off with her hand upon his shoulder._

" _This is not your fault. Besides, I'm okay! I'm-"_

 _Drew heard the fire of a gun. His eyes widened as he saw Solidad fall to the ground, the bullet passing straight through her head. He couldn't scream. He couldn't do anything._

 _The man who had been hit with the bear trap had fired his gun with the last amount of energy he had left._

 _Drew's heart stopped. Solidad was gone!?_

 _It was all his fault. She told him not to go there - she_ _ **told**_ _him!._

 _._

 _._

 _._

" _My name is Ash!"_

" _...Drew."_

" _Why are you on the train? You going somewhere special?"_

" _Yeah, to this place called the Institution."_

" _The what?"_

" _A friend told me about it. They...they're supposed to help. I-"_

The sound of someone knocking on his door breaks Drew from his thoughts

"Drew?" May asks timidly from the other side. "It's me, May...I've come to talk to you."

Drew groans, and holds a pillow up to his face. "Get out April, June, or whatever your name is! I don't want to speak to you."

"Hey! I literally just told you my name, how could you have forgotten!?"

"I didn't forget, I chose to _ignore_ it! Can't you see I don't want to talk right now?" _Damn, she's worse than Ash when it comes to taking a hint._ He hears her angrily sigh, before she pounds on the door again.

"If you don't open the door I'll be forced to come in myself!"

Drew rolls his eyes, and tries thinking of a good excuse. He smirks as he finds the perfect one, and inwardly laughs at what she might say.

"You can't," he says "I'm naked. So you're free to open that door, but I'm not sure if you'll like the sight." He bets his life she's blushing.

"Wh-what!?" she shrieks. "You aren't - you can't be...you're bluffing!"

"Want to bet?"

"Ugh!" he hears her footsteps retreat. _Aaaand_ , he thinks triumphantly, _checkmate_.

Or so he thought.

Before he has time to register it, May barges into the room, covering her eyes with her hands as she does so. "Alright!" she announces, her voice suddenly a much higher pitch. "You better make yourself decent, because I'm not leaving this room until we've had a chat!"

"What the hell!? Why are you so stubborn!?" he asks in disbelief, offended that she would actually come into the room. "I told you I didn't want to speak, didn't I?"

"I'm choosing to ignore that!"

"Damn it all! Fine, I'm fully clothed. _God_ June, can't a guy get some privacy? You sure were eager to come in here knowing that I wasn't dressed." He sees her cheeks blaze with (even more) color. She finds enough courage to remove her hands from her eyes, and gives a sigh of relief when she sees he has pants and a shirt on. Then she takes in the sight of his face.

"Drew...you've been crying," she points out. A frown finds itself onto her features. His eyes are puffy and rimmed with red, a sight that makes her heart heavy.

Drew curses. This is exactly why he went away from the three of them. "I am not," he replies in a mumble, turning his head away from her gaze. Crying in front of others is not his style.

"Ash told me what happened…" May pauses. "it wasn't your fault, you know."

"He told you!?"

"Don't blame him! My companion made him do it...he needed the story so that he could tell the Institution what happened."

"..."

Her voice grows softer. "Drew-"

"Stop." the green haired boy cuts her off, knowing that whatever she has to say won't do him any good. "Just stop." He sighs, and scoots over on the bed to let her sit. She obliges. The bed isn't the most comfortable thing, but on a long train ride it's worth it. All of the sheets are white, and May finds herself clutching onto the blankets.

It's quiet for a while, the two of them stuck in thought.

"Hey Drew?" she asks.

"Hm?"

"Do you believe the Institution will help us?" She tilts her head towards his own, searching his eyes. They are still an enticing green color, even when he's been crying.

He nods. "I believe with everything I got."

"Why?"

"Because Solidad promised me. And she never lied; not once."

* * *

The train rumbles to a slow stop, and there's a loud burst of pressure that whistles through the air as it does so. May, Drew, Ash, and the man are the only ones that have gotten off, which is probably for the better; they don't want anyone following them.

"Ugh, I'm starving!" Ash whines, clutching his stomach in an over dramatic way. The man sighs. He knows they haven't eaten in a long while, but still, they just got off of the train, they could at least stand to wait a few more minutes. The Institution is close, after all.

Beside Ash, May groans in agreement. "If I don't get something to eat soon, I think I'm gonna pass out."

Drew rolls his eyes. "Geez," he says, shaking his head at the two of them, "you two are such babies. You don't see me whining do y-" he is cut off by a long growl from his stomach. Drew sweat drops.

"Ha! You're hungry too!" May laughs.

"I'm not the one complaining, now am I?"

"Oh yeah, well-"

The man tunes out of the fighting. Honestly, he wishes the two of them would learn to get along better, at least to save poor Ash from getting caught in the middle of it all. He pulls the raven haired boy aside.

"Ash," he says, "I need to make a call. Do you think you could, erm, notify May and Drew while I leave? I'll only be gone for a little while."

Ash nods in agreement. "Sure thing!"

He makes his way over to the small building beside the tracks that acts as a shelter from the rain. Inside there is a small phone attached to the wall. He dials the number.

"Hello?" the voice picks up. "May I ask who is calling?"

"Sir, it's me...Campbell," the man replies. His name is only given to this one man. Why Solidad gave Drew hers, he'll never know.

"Is the line clear?"

"I'm assuming so."

"...okay-" the voice takes a deep breath, "-speak."

"I have three new members, all of which are in need of some food, and a proper medical check up, but that's not the main reason I'm calling. One of them...he knew Solidad, sir. More importantly, he knows what happened."

"He knew her, huh? It bothers me that you aren't using the present, Campbell."

The story unfolds from there.

* * *

Howard Caprice leans over his desk, his hands clasped together, and his face buried somewhere behind them. He's sighing. Across from him sits a woman with a severe looking blonde bun, and a large black overcoat hiding her frame.

"How many?" Howard asks, not for the first time that meeting. He still can't grasp the amount yet, nor does his mind want to.

The woman shakes her head. "Too many," her response is quick, and doesn't offer room for explanation.

"It's getting worse."

She observes him with pity. "You've known this for years now, Howard. When you signed up to be the dean of this institution, you knew perfectly well that the problem was bound to grow exponentially, and-"

He cuts her off with his hand. "You know the reason I founded this place. It wasn't like I had much choice."

Her sharp gaze softens as he says this, allowing her to forgive him for interrupting her. He's just angry is all. "We are helping them," she comforts, "and that's all that matters." She sets her pale pink lips into a purse. "Still, if we don't find a way to stop them, then the problem is only going to get worse."

"You don't think I know this? Cynthia, I've been trying for years." For the first time since the meeting began, he lifts his brown eyes up to meet hers. His greying hair rests limp against his forehead. She is struck with the notion of just how broken he looks when his walls are put down; also of just how selfish he is.

She shakes her head. "You've been looking for a cure, I agree, but not for anyone else's sake."

He ignores that one.

Straightening out his back, he lets his eyes find hers once again. Cynthia swallows hard at the sight of them: watered down, and rimmed with red. "I received a call today. It looks like we have some new members."

She wants to leave. Cynthia knows that when Howard gets upset, bad things ensue. Judging by the look in his eyes, whatever he is about to say can't only be about the new members. She takes a deep breath. "Oh?"

"I've also received word that Solidad is dead."

Silence.

She sits as straight as an arrow as Howard's reserved shell begins to break, not even flinching as he throws a vase right over her head.  
-


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, My lovely readers! How are all of you? I would like to thank you all for your support as usual! By the way, do you guys prefer longer chapters?**

 **Replies (guest):** **Sapphire2112- Thank you so much for another heartwarming review XD You always make my day! I know the Solidad thing was very sad, and I hate to do it to Drew, but I had to. I hope you like this chapter too!**

 **Enjoy! Feel free to drop those reviews!**

* * *

Getting to the Institution from the train stop was easy. It was barely a ten minute walk into the forest where it stood, and when May had first seen the building she was honestly surprised it wasn't more hidden. For all of the man's warnings to stay as inconspicuous as possible, it's hard to believe that this building is the real deal. After all, it's practically out in the open.

"This is the place, huh?" Drew comments, raising an eyebrow at their escort. May's glad she isn't the only one thinking it. The man nods.

"Wow," Ash breathes, practically glowing.

If it resembles anything, it would have to be a box, not the kind one receives on the anniversary of their birth, but rather like a cage. It's tall, that's for sure, and stretches up until the roof becomes completely shielded in the gray clouds above. Around the Institution is a huge gate, and if they're trying to keep intruders from entering, they're doing a pretty effective job. May's sure nobody could get passed it, after all, she had just witnessed a bird get electrocuted upon contact with the barrier a few minutes prior. Something that really strikes May as odd is the fact that there are barely any windows. She supposes that it's not too much of a surprise, especially considering the place's surroundings: void of any sunlight, and looming clouds above that suggest nothing close to pleasant weather (if it's like this everyday, she guesses no one would have a need to look out them). Still, it's odd. It seems that when they built the establishment they had no intention of making It look pretty.

"Upon entering this building," the man begins, breaking the three of them from their gazes, "you will be given a chance at survival. There is no room for messing around. The owner, Howard Caprice, has no patience for slackers; even though he may look calm on the outside, on the inside he is nothing close to the word."

May gulps. She hadn't realized before, but standing there in the shadow of the great building, awaiting the mysteries that lie ahead, she can't help but be afraid. Her gaze shifts toward Ash and Drew. The emotions going through Ash's head are obvious: he's determined. His brown eyes shine with raw motivation, and if May were the type of person, she'd be insanely jealous. She's far from ready to face what lies behind those gates after all. As for Drew, his expression is masked. May just wishes she knew what he was thinking.

"I'm going to enter the code to get in, and from then on you are by yourself," the man finishes.

May's heart sinks to the bottom of her chest. "What?" she asks, crestfallen.

"Bringing you here was my only job, May. There are others like you out there that I have to find too."

"But I thought…" she trails off. What had she thought? She guesses she imagined he would be there with them to guide them along the journey. He was the one who found her, and it's not like she knows anyone else. Her parents are God knows where, and every increment of her past life has vanished. Sure, Ash and Drew are with her, but that man is like an anchor to her. He's wise, and kind, and without him...how will she know what to do?

Drew frowns. "May-" she's surprised he actually got it right- "you had to have known this would happen sooner or later. You can't expect him to hold your hand forever."

"I know that Drew! It's just…"

"It's okay!" Ash says cheerfully. "You'll have us with you."

It doesn't make May feel better.

Campbell - the man, as May knows him - places his hand on her right shoulder (the good one). His hand is heavy, but it does not strain her. He speaks. "May, this won't be forever. I'll see you again, but for now you have to focus on getting better. This is your once chance at living. I know the concept is...hard for you to grasp, especially all things considered." She knows he is referencing to her memory loss. "But as Drew said, I won't be here to hold your hand."

Her chest tightens. "I understand," she says, "but the least you could do is tell me your name." May feels as though she deserves to know. It's already odd that he hasn't told her yet, and if he really is leaving, well, she would like to remember him by something more than just a picture of his face.

Campbell sighs. "In my profession, revealing your identity will get you killed." Solidad flashes in his mind, and his fist clenches itself at his side. He buries the thought; there's no time for mourning right now. Campbell walks away from the trio then, moving in the direction of the gate. There is a small number sequence that he presses into the system, and with a great groaning sound, the gate begins to open. He shoves the three of them inside. "One more thing you guys: you have to find something to fight for. Without it, you'll never last."

There is another groaning sound, and the gate begins to close.

* * *

Howard Caprice looks down at his watch. The new arrivals should be coming any minute now, and he would like to prep his workers before they arrive. Campbell briefed him on the advent of three new children, but he wasn't the only one to check in. There will be a number of them arriving, and they deserve a proper welcome. While he is sure his staff understands this, it does help to go through it as a group to make sure everything is clear.

Howard clears his throat. "I want you all to be briefly explaining a bit about yourselves at the initiation today," he tells his staff, raising his voice to get their attention. Speaking of the staff, it should be noted that there isn't a great deal of them. This upsets Howard immensely, because running the place takes a lot of work, and having fewer numbers means more of that for him. Still, the one's he does have are loyal, and hardworking, which makes up for it. There are five in total, and they all run a different course.

"Oh gee," one of the members, a young lady with bright orange hair, says with mock excitement, "how absolutely thrilling.' Her last word drifts from the previous high lilt to a flat deadpan. "Seriously? What do they possibly need to know about us?"

A grin slips it's way onto Howard's features. This girl is one of his most strategic staff members, who (despite her age) knows the ropes of the institution like the back of her hand. She's quick, spunky, and not afraid to speak her mind; the novices arriving will be scared to death.

"Perhaps who you are and what you teach would suffice," offers another member - a tall well dressed fellow with, strangely enough, bright green hair.

She blows air out of her mouth in annoyance. "Yeah, well they'll figure it out as soon as they attend my lessons! Why should I waste my breath?"

"Come on, Misty," another member addresses her, his light brown skin glowing a rich caramel color under the overhead light's reflection. He smiles knowingly at her which causes Misty to send a heated glare his way. Howard watches in amusement at their exchange. The young man continues, "You and I both know that this initiation is your favourite part. After all, you love scaring the living hell out of all the debutantes. So why complain?"

"He does have a point," muses the green haired one.

"I don't care!" she screams.

Howard moves his gaze at the other two who have yet to speak: Cynthia, and the institution's professor, Oak. Yet again, two more valued members. Cynthia, watches the others with interest, her grey eyes set forward, and a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Her companion beside her smiles fondly, emphasizing the wrinkles around his face.

Howard tries to forget the previous day's events, which left him depressed at his desk, and Cynthia a fuming mess (after he threw that vase, she had a lot of curses to offer him). The truth is, they've never truly seen eye to eye, but he needs that in a confidant. He needs someone who, at the end of the day, can shed some light onto the other side of the coin; someone who can offer him a bit of knowledge alongside a different opinion. Most of all, someone who can stop him when -and if - he ever turns away from The Institution's goals. He's thankful to have her aboard, really he is, but at the same time it proves to be quite aggravating.

Meanwhile, at the coalface, Misty is still screaming.

"You two are really starting to get on my nerves! Do I need to bring out Staryu?" she threatens, her eyes locking onto their bodies like they're targets. The two men blanche.

"No ma'am!" they say in unison, clutching onto each other for life support. Misty smiles triumphantly.

"Good!"

"Alright, alright," Howard jumps in, "there's business to be done. Misty, I hate to tell you this, but you'll have to introduce yourself, whether you like it or not." She pouts. "Now, Brock-" the dark skinned man looks up, "-please go get all of our guests, and bring them to the auditorium." Brock gives a quick salute before marching off, Misty in tow.

"And me, sir?" inquires the green haired man.

"Cilan I would like you to get the dinner ready. I'm sure all of them are quite famished. You can introduce yourself at a later date. Ah, just don't tell Misty." Cilan nods, suppressing a grin, and exits the room with a flourish.

Howard turns to meet the gaze of Cynthia, her eyes piercing. "I'll be off then, I'm sure Brock needs help," she tells him.

"Sounds good."

"The professor wants to talk to you anyway. See you soon." The blonde haired woman leaves him then, and Howard turns his head towards Professor Oak, who's frowning face suggests anything but good news.

* * *

May stares bewildered at the scene before her. She hadn't expected the inside of the building to be so...extravagant. The trio (May, Drew, and Ash) had only made it through the front door, before they were stopped dead in their tracks by the sheer beauty of the place. While the outside may seem poor in taste, what lies behind the doors of the Institution is anything but. There is a rich red colored carpet that trails itself down the middle of the room, landing right at their feet, and tracing itself right back up to a large staircase made out of white marble. The floor itself is also made out of the material, and it's polished to a fine shine that they can see their reflection in. Ash smiles goofily as he gazes down at his own, while Drew checks his hair - May can't help but roll her eyes at that. Her gaze drifts upwards. The ceiling of the room is breathtaking: an intricate painting of a group of men and woman dancing in a circle takes up its expanse, all of them as naked as jaybirds with nothing but a long piece of fabric tied at each other's wrists. Hanging down from the ceiling as well are glass chandeliers which May is sure must have cost a fortune. They look as expensive as they are breakable; wearily she spares a glance at Ash. From what she's already seen from him (he had smashed a hole through a wall on the train) she can guess that something is bound to break when he is around. Drew must have sensed this too, because he quickly takes a step closer to the raven haired boy. "Where is everyone?" he asks, eager to get Ash away from all of this glass and expensiveness.

"I have no idea," Ash remarks, "it looks deserted." Indeed it does. Their voices seem to echo throughout the entire room and beyond - like the place is hollow.

May frowns. "This place is definitely weird," she says, and instinctively wraps her arms around herself. She has a bad feeling about the place, or maybe it's just the way her shoulder is tingling, like it does before a burning fit. She knows she isn't due for another one for a while, maybe a few hours if she's lucky, but at the same time they are impossible to predict.

Before any of them get too restless waiting there (and before Ash ends up breaking something) footsteps sound off in the room to their left. They whip their heads in unison to the sound, and as they do a man appears in the doorway. He has fairly dark skin, a warm smile, and a friendly aura. "Hello," he greets. Behind him, a woman appears, all blonde hair and stormy eyes. She peers down at them with an amused smile.

"I believe we all have some proper introductions to make?"

* * *

They sit in small room with nothing but chairs stacked up in every corner. Most of them have a plastic sheet over them to keep off dust, and others have been unwrapped for the occasion. May chooses to sit on a red one, the cushion made from a rubbery material that sinks in as she sits. It's an odd room, branching off from one of the million different hallways the Institution contains. They had a brief tour of the first floor, which was supposed to give them an idea of the layout, but it only made May feel lost. She guesses that even if she spent a year exploring the different rooms, hallways, and passageways, she'd still never find her way around.

The man and woman who led them into the room stand in front with smiles planted on their features. May shifts uncomfortably.

"Welcome," begins the man, "to the Institution." He spreads his arms out wide in a theatrical gesture. "You were probably given a brief overview of the place by your escort, am I correct?"

"Um...not really," Ash says, and May and Drew nod in agreement.

"Actually, not at all," continues Drew.

The man up front almost falls over. "Eh!?" he exclaims. The woman sighs.

"Why do we pay these people?" she mumbles.

"Well, I suppose he did say something," May assures the man. "I mean, well, he told us that we can get better here."

"I suppose that's better than nothing, but still...I wish he would have at least warned you about some things."

"Warned us?" A wave of nervousness crashes over May's body.

"What do you mean?" Ash asks, tilting his head to the side. He seems more curious than anything else.

"Well," replies the woman, "while it is true that you can better yourselves here, it is also true that you may die trying. In fact, it's probable that you will." She paces a little, her heeled boots clacking with every step. "I'm sorry to say that this place is dangerous, and there is no safety precautions to prevent you from getting hurt. What you all are dealing with is beyond the normal human's ability to control."

"But _death_?" Drew asks.

"Yes." The woman's gaze is sharp.

"That being said," the man cuts in, "you should also know that there is a possibility you can live."

"And if we don't want to take that chance?"

"You shouldn't be here then. But as the dean will tell you, it's not like you-" the sound of a door slamming open breaks the man from his speech.

"Brock," comes a voice from the doorway. In walks a tall, well aged man with greying hair, and wild looking eyes. "I think you better leave that to me. I only told you to introduce yourself after all." Behind him drifts a girl around the same age as the three of them. She looks pissed, and May can't help but wonder if she's hurt too.

The man, Brock as they now know, stands up straighter as he sees his superior approach. "Sorry, sir-" he turns his gaze back towards May, Drew, and Ash, "-you're right. Let's start over then. My name is Brock Slate, and I work in the medical department here at the Institution."

"So you're like a nurse?" asks Ash. The raven haired boy looks uncomfortable, but it could just be the fact that the girl who entered beside the man keeps sending him heated glares.

"You could say that, yeah."

The blonde woman speaks next, "And my name is Cynthia. I'm the second head of this Institution-" she sends a glance in the grey haired man's direction, as if challenging him to correct her. When he doesn't, she continues, "-and also one of the teachers here."

"Teachers?" inquires Drew.

"How else will you learn to get better?" snaps the girl near the door. May shrinks a bit as she looks at her. The girl has bright orange hair, piercing sea-blue eyes, and a scowl on her face. Her arms are haughtily crossed over her chest, which is covered by a yellow short-sleeved blouse. May glances down at her own apparel, which she had completely forgot about. She is still wearing her escort's shirt, and it makes her heart heavy to think about how he had left so suddenly.

"Now now, Misty," scolds the grey haired man, "there's no need to get snappy with people. It was a fair question."

"Whatever."

"Are you going to introduce yourself, then?"

The orange haired girl groans, but reluctantly gives in. "Name's Misty. I'm one of the teachers too. You'll learn what I teach soon enough, I think it's best not to overwhelm you with so much information right now."

" _You_ work here!?" splutters Ash. "But you're so young!"

"You got a problem with that, shorty?" she growls, clenching her fists.

"No!" he yelps, his face growing red.

" _Good_."

"Alright you two," Cynthia cuts in, "clearly we are getting a bit out of hand. That's enough bickering." Misty is still glaring, but the intensity lessens. She mumbles something under her breath, before backing up against the wall. "Maybe we should just get on to the whole point of this meeting."

May, Drew, and Ash send each other weary glances. "Which would be?" they ask. Honestly, they're wiped out from all of the traveling they've done, but still, they understand that this is important. There's so many questions they need answered.

"Perhaps I can assist you with that," offers the grey haired man. "My name is Howard Caprice, and I run this fine establishment." He smiles arrogantly. _He and Drew will get along swimmingly_ , thinks May. "I simply wanted you to meet the kind people who will be with you for the entire course of your stay here. My staff will assist you in the process of eliminating whatever evil is lurking in your veins. Get along well with them, won't you?"

May glances at the three of them - Brock, Cynthia, and Misty - before resting her gaze back onto Howard. She doesn't know what to think about the three of them yet. Sure, Brock and Cynthia seem nice, and Misty, well, the opposite, but it's too early to make any snap judgements. Howard, on the other hand, is a mystery entirely. Her escort told her he'd help, but also that his calm exterior isn't close to what lies brewing inside.

"But that is not all," Howard continues, "I'm here to tell you that there will be an initiation. You need to show me that you have what it takes to be here. There will be three parts to this. First, you will be given a week trial to test out the waters: attending classes, learning the basics, and trying to understand yourself. Second, you will be doing some field work, which you will be prepped for, of course. Finally-" he licks his lips, "-you will have an interview with me. I will ask you a simple question, and after taking in consideration all of these things you've completed, well, we shall see if you still have what it takes to survive."

"What happens if we fail?" May finds herself asking.

"My dear, you should hope it doesn't come to that."

"I have something to ask you," Drew says, sitting up straighter in his seat. Before he speaks, however, his fingers suddenly clutch onto the armrests forcefully. May can see the almost pained look on his face, and the beads of sweat that have began to accumulate on his skin.

"Well?" Howard asks.

Drew swallows hard. His eyes have began to water, and his body seems to twitch ever so slightly.

Not good.

"Aren't you going to say something?"

Drew opens his mouth to speak, but no words come out. He sits there gaping like a fish, until the wave suddenly hits him, and his body erupts into a burning fit. He rolls onto the floor, clutching his chest in agony.

Understanding flits itself across Howard's features. His eyes darken. "Everybody, out," he orders. No one protests.

They spill out into the hallway as fast as they can. Drew and Howard are left in the room, and May forces her head away from the door. She shuts her eyes tightly, trying not to picture the commotion going on inside. "Drew," she whispers, worriedly.

She doesn't think she'll ever get used to the way things are.

* * *

"You've been hurt by something," explains Howard, after he returns with Drew, and they've all settled down in the cafeteria with a plate of warm food. Drew looks down at his plate with a detached look on his face, and May wishes she could comfort him.

They've decided to continue on with the meeting, but May just wishes she could sleep. Her whole body is exhausted, and even though she can't see the sky, she knows it must be dark. Howard's voice is powerful, however, and she can't help but focus on it as he explains what the marks are in more detail. "What you've been hurt by is not of this earth, not human anyway. Truth is, you've all been infected. This is the term used by the Branders, and I suppose by a lot of people really."

 _How could something "not human" hurt us? What does he mean exactly - a monster?_ May wonders.

Howard continues, "you all can't remember how it happened, am I right?" None of them contradict him. "And in some cases, it wipes out every memory you may have had before its occurrence." He turns his gaze towards May. "Isn't _that_ right?" She nods. "You see, sometimes in traumatizing situations you tend to forget these things, or your mind doesn't let you remember. The whole situation becomes some kind of coma dream. You can't perceive it as real. This is your body's way of keeping out terror. However, there are some things you can't keep out, no matter how hard you may try. These marks are the proof."

"So what does all of this mean?" Drew asks, exasperated. His cheeks are blazed red, and his breathing unsteady. He's still recovering, May guesses, and swallows hard at the sight of his discomfort. He seems almost embarrassed. "What I want to know is how are we supposed to get better!? You never told us! How can we trust this Institution, anyway? Have you ever even cured somebody?"

Howard's eyes harden. "I know that the aftermath of a burning fit can mean irritableness, but that's no way to talk to someone who is offering you their help."

Drew stays silent.

"As for your question," he goes on, "yes, we have cured people. Many, in fact. That being said, there have also been people who have died here. Cynthia has already told you this, no? Drew, I am offering you the best information that I can give, and with it you must decide for yourself if you can trust our establishment." His voice rises. "After all, the reason it was created-" he lets out a shuddering breath, his composure suddenly breaking, "-excuse me." The man suddenly breaks away from the table, disappearing into another hallway.

May, Ash, and Drew send each other confused glances. "That was...odd," comments Ash between a spoonful of his dinner. May nods her head in agreement. Silence envelops the cafeteria then, and it passes far too long for May's liking. Drew must be stuck in his thoughts, and by the glare on his face they can't be good, as for Ash, he seems to stick to his food. Luckily before the awkwardness persists, Misty comes by. She plops herself right on one of the seats with a loud bang.

"Hello there," she greets, balancing an apple in her hands. "You sure got Howard worked up." The silence continues. "Wow, okay...you all sure are great for conversation. Is this because I scared you? Honestly, I was just angry is all, Cynthia tells me I'm moody - WHICH I'M NOT, YA BLONDE WITCH - but she's just judgemental. Anyway, I wouldn't worry too much about the dean, he has a bunch of issues he needs to work out. You'll learn more about this place soon enough, anyways." She stares at them intensively. Her blue-green eyes are quite pretty, May observes, and she does have a nice smile when she isn't yelling at them.

"Thank you," May tells her, speaking up for once. "We appreciate it."

"No problem, I'm just sorry we got off on a wrong foot. Okay, but seriously...STOP EATING LIKE A DAMN PIG!" she yells at Ash, causing the raven haired boy to squeak.

"Sorry," he mumbles, rubbing the back of his head.

She sighs. "Maybe I should show you to your dorms."

* * *

 _Howard stared at Drew's form with a stony look on his face. The boy was going through a burning fit, his body writhing from side to side in such a disastrous, hurting way. There were no words exchanged, Howard being far from the type to comfort. The only sounds, in fact, were the screams that racked Drew's body, painful to the ear._

 _Howard was used to this._

 _After the fit passed, Drew stayed on the ground as straight as an arrow, his chest facing upwards, and heaving itself up and down sporadically._

 _"Heartburn," observed Howard. "That's what it feels like, doesn't it? I'm assuming this from the mark's location - on your chest. Don't look so surprised, anyone with eyes can see the way you clutch the damn spot, it's obvious." Howard calmly walked over to Drew's body. The green haired boy stared at him wearily. "Take your time getting up, there's no need to strain your heart anymore. Cardio will be hard for you, but it's something we must overcome. Strain will be put on your body here after all."_

 _Drew's body tried to heave, but there was nothing to throw up. "Why are you rambling things about cardio? What does that have to do with anything?" he choked out._

 _"My bonny lad," Howard said condescendingly, "it has to do with everything." He rolled his eyes. "Training to get better requires physical work."_

 _"What kind of training are we talking about? How do you plan on helping us better ourselves? Do you have a cure, a solution, a-" his body tried heaving again._

 _"I said calm down. Take your time. After all, we have much to discuss. Your questions will be answered, but mine will too." The boy knew what happened to Solidad, after all._

 _The green haired boy didn't move for a long time, and Howard couldn't help but think that these kids wouldn't last for a second._


	5. GHOST

**I suppose I owe you guys a kind of apology. I know this hasn't been updated in a long time, and I know it was mean of me to put this off, but I was really busy! I still am. But I wanted to give you guys another chapter, because it has been too long! Hopefully you all haven't given up on me! I will warn you that this won't be updated weekly like I normally try and do, I'm not sure what the schedule will be like but I will try my best to produce this story as best I can. Have faith in me!**

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 **(** **Sapphire2112) Hey! So so so sorry about the Hiatus!** **I was not having writers block (I don't tend to have that as much as you'd think!) I've just been having a crappy time at managing my schedule. *sad face* Don't worry though, this story is going to be finished. I can't stand an unfinished fic. Thank you for your support, it means so so so much to me. Much love!**

 **(Like Hi So Duh) Thank you so much! I will try to make updates as quick as I can...hehheh *nervous laughter* and long too. This one is only about 4,400 words but when I get in the swing of things that number will rise! POKESHIPPING I CAN CONFIRM :D**

 **(Woah) I am not dead! Just...flustered with managing my workload, heh heh...BLAME SCHOOL OKAY! Thank you for reviewing, and hopefully you are still reading!**

 **Anyway thank you all who have read, reviewed, favored, followed, etc. Means a lot!**

* * *

The girl's dorms are on the third floor of the Institution, and directly above, on the fourth, lies the boy's. This means May, Drew, and Ash will be splitting up. The thought of being alone for the night makes May a bit uneasy; not that she knows the feeling of being alone, or rather, remembers. Still, she knows better than to go against the institution's rules, especially when they were kind enough to grant her a place to stay.

Misty yanks May's arm, pulling her away from the table. "Come on," she orders, "we're already passed curfew. You should rest anyways, you look like you need it."

May can't argue with that - she's _exhausted_. Besides, Misty is insanely strong, and May doubts she would even have a chance to escape from the girl's iron grip. "Alright," the brunette agrees.

"Night May!" Ash yells after her, waving his hand from side to side and smiling widely. May matches his smile, and waves her hand back just as enthusiastically. When her gaze sweeps towards Drew's, however, she finds that he is still brooding. She sighs; it looks like it's going to take a lot to get him to open up to her. May knows he likes to joke around, especially when it means teasing her, but whenever he gets depressed, there's nothing she can do to cheer him up. May doesn't know why, but her whole heart seems to deflate whenever she sees him sad.

In front of her, Misty scoffs, "Oi, quit goggling at him and hurry up! You can see your boyfriend tomorrow!"

May chokes, "Wh-what!?" She feels a flash of heat rise to her cheeks. Her gaze flashes back at Drew, making sure he didn't hear their conversation, before she harshly whispers back at Misty, "Drew is not my boyfriend!"

"Oh?"

"S-stop smiling at me like that!" May can't believe that she would even suggest such a thing. Misty begins to laugh, and all May wants to do is crawl in a hole.

"Relax, I'm only kidding. Just giving you a hard time."

May pouts.

After dragging May up to the third floor, Misty happily presents her with what will now be her room. Her dorm is one of the first doors on the floor, and to May's delight it is painted a lovely dark red color. Misty smiles at her. "Go on," the redhead says, "open it up." Reaching out for the brass door handle, May takes a deep breath. She gingerly turns the knob and begins to peek her head Into the doorway.

"Wow," she breathes.

The room is cozy looking, with hard wooden floors the color of rich caramel, and a white circular carpet that ties everything into place. The walls are a soft pink color, and Misty makes sure to express her distaste for them, not that the brunette minds; she'd be happy with any color. There are two beds that lie against the wall directly in front of the doorway, and between the two of them is a rather large window - the first one May has seen her whole time here. As if reading her thoughts, Misty says, "Yeah, windows are pretty rare here. God knows Howard just hates cleaning the damn things. This is one of the only rooms that has one; the only drawback is you don't get proper lighting at night." The redhead pulls out a match box from her pocket, and calmly walks over to the dresser beside the beds. On top of it lies a candlestick, and with a smirk Misty lights it, an orange glow enveloping the room as she does so. "Luckily for us he lets us have these candles."

"This room is so beautiful!" May chirps happily.

"You think? Personally I think it could do with some proper cleaning."

May walks over to the left side bed, admiring its handiwork, before caressing the blankets with her hand. There is a red and white striped quilt covering the mattress, looking to be handmade. "Is it really okay for me to stay here?" she asks quietly. All of the things here are so wonderful, May doesn't understand why Howard would be so willing to share.

"Are you kidding? You're one of us now, May-" Misty smiles, "-that means you're family. I'm sure the other kids will love to meet you." As if remembering something, Misty's smile falters, and a pensive look overtakes her face. "That is of course, when they aren't training…You know, many of them take things quite seriously here, which I have to say is pretty vital. Most of them would kill for this room; they wouldn't have to share with someone else."

"Why is sharing a problem? I wouldn't mind."

The redhead sighs, before settling her body against the doorframe. "Look," she begins, "the infectees, er, sorry that's what we call you guys, are working their butts off trying to get cured. They don't have time to waste fooling around with friends. Sure, bonds are made or whatever, but what's more important is getting better."

May's face falls. "Oh."

"I don't mean to sound so heartless, but that's kind of the reality here. You spend so much time training and working that there's never any time for friends." Misty frowns. "Trust me."

"I guess I understand." May sits down on the bed, fingering the stitches in the quilt. "What about Ash and Drew though? Are you saying I won't have time for them?" The thought makes May's heart heavy.

"Eh, I wouldn't worry too much about that. That Ash kid doesn't seem to take a hint; I'm sure he'll want to hang out with you even if your work piles up. Kind of like a puppy dog, isn't he? As for the green kid, I'm not too sure. I guess what I'm trying to say is, May...you're new here. There's a lot you'll need to know. But you're your own person, and only you can decide how you spend your time. Yes you have to work hard - and yes you have to prove yourself - but if I've learned anything here, it's that one of your greatest assets is the people you meet. The others here don't seem to understand that."

"But hey," Misty says, changing the subject, "I wouldn't overthink anything, especially tonight - you need your rest. In fact, I think I should leave you to that. I'm heading off now, see you in the morning!"

May swallows hard. "Yeah, okay then." The redhead saluts, before quietly closing the door. "Good night."

May lies down on her new bed, her head filled with thoughts of the day's events. She knows it's stupid to do, but she can't help but think about her companion. Wherever he is, she hopes he's okay. The brunette closes her eyes then; she'll try to get as much sleep as possible before the next burning fit arrives. After all, not even sleep can escape its reign.

Misty must have understood this, because three hours later when May wakes up screaming, she's there in seconds.

* * *

Morning light seeps into May's room from the window. It's a slow process, the light traveling inch by inch, rising up until its golden light kisses May's face, and flutters her eyes open. It's a soft light, and provides a bit of heat in the otherwise chilled room. After her eyes completely open, May stares blearily up at the ceiling, trying to remember where she is.

 _Right_ , the girl remembers, _I'm at the Institution._

Her shoulder aches, but that's normal, and after stretching out her body, May throws her legs over the bed, planting her bare feet on the floor. Instead of feeling the wood that should be on the ground, May feels fabric. Looking down, she spots a set of clothes laid out before her, and a note.

 _These are for you, I hope you enjoy! I'm guessing they'll fit you, at least from the description I was given about you. If not, please don't hesitate to ask for a different set! There's more inside your dresser._

 _-DB_

May tilts her head to the side curiously. _That's odd_ , she decides, _who's DB_? The girlish handwriting doesn't provide any clues. Still, it was a nice gesture, and May hopes she can thank whoever gave them to her. After putting down the note on her nightstand, May reaches down for the clothing. There is a loose, long sleeved blouse the color red, and a blue skirt laid out before her. They seem to be new, and freshly washed; the act of generosity makes May's heart warm. She can't believe someone would go through all of the trouble just for her. She's about to put them on when she remembers the clothes she's already wearing: the ones belonging to her companion.

A wave of sadness washes over her.

It almost feels wrong to just get rid of them, especially when they're her only memory of her savior. She doesn't want to take them off. Still, she knows they'll want her to wear the new clothing. Coming to a decision, May peels the shirt off of her torso, and stuffs it into her dresser; if she can't wear his shirt, she will at least keep it as a momento. As for her other clothing, she quickly sheds the soiled white dress and tosses it to the floor. Then, she begins to dress. The red shirt feels nice against her skin, and the skirt fits well, coming to rest just below her kneecaps. May keeps the bandana on top of her head.

"There," she says, "all done." With that, the brunette exits her room, hoping to find a familiar face.

Misty is waiting for her when she steps downstairs. When her green-blue eyes spot May, they seem to brighten. "May!" she greets. "I see you found the new clothes, do they fit alright?"

"Oh," May says, a bit surprised, "yes, they fit fine, thank you. Have you been waiting for me?"

Misty crosses her arms over her chest, and let's out a puff of annoyance. There is a small blush of red across her cheeks, as if she was just caught doing something she wasn't supposed to. "N-no! Well...yes, but it's not like I wanted to or anything! I just feel like you need someone to watch out for you during these first couple days. It's not just you…" At this point she begins to mumble, "I'm waiting for your friends Ash and Drew too."

As if on cue, said boys come barreling down the stairs. "Hurry, Drew!" comes the sound of Ash's bellowing voice. "Misty said that if we didn't get down here quick, we'd lose our breakfast privileges - I can't handle that kind of stress!"

"Ash calm down, if you don't stop running you're going t-" there is a loud crashing sound as Ash slips down the marble steps. Drew sighs. "You're going to fall." Ash's body lands straight at Misty's feet, and May debates whether or not she should run as far away as possible, or stay to see the drama unfold.

She goes with the latter.

Misty, of course, begins to twitch. "You," she seethes, her face going red, "are an idiot! You could have killed somebody!"

Ash groans, "I could have killed myself."

"That might have done all of us a favor," mumbles Drew under his breath. May raises an eyebrow at him.

"Wow," she remarks, "you sure got up on the wrong side of the bed. I guess you're not too much of a morning person." Drew spares her a glance, and May can see a tiny smirk playing on the edge of his lips. Inwardly, the brunette groans; what has she started now?

Drew is quick to retort, "And you are?" He chuckles. "Your bed-head says otherwise. Not even a bandana can save you from that train wreck, April."

Let's just say, after that, the four of them spent most of their morning on those steps arguing.

* * *

"Alright," says Brock, as he sits across from May, Drew, and Ash. "I'm going to give you a rundown of the day."

The three of them had barely enough time to get breakfast, considering the fact that by the time they actually arrived at the cafeteria, Cilan was already getting ready to prepare lunch. Luckily for them, Cilan was a kind person, and he saved some food for them. Now, they are sitting down on one of the tables, listening to Brock brief them on what they will be doing, and trying to avoid Misty's death stare. " _It's your fault you guys missed breakfast!"_ the redhead had said balefully _, "and now you're going to miss the first classes of the day! If Howard gets on my case about this, YOU ALL ARE SO DEAD."_

"As you know, you will all be attending classes to inform you more about what your mark is, how to stop it, cure it, and, let us not forget, how to train," Brock continues.

"How to train?" asks Drew. He clutches his heart absentmindedly, Howard's words echoing in his head: " _Training to get better requires physical work."_ Drew knows that whenever physical exercise is involved, his heart rejects it. This usually means it puts Drew through excruciating pain. If that's one of the requirements at the institution, he doesn't know how much of it he can take. Or worse, if he will be able to.

How will he survive?

He is brought back to reality when Brock's booming voice speaks once again, "When I say training, I mean a number of things. There's training for your body, your mind, and something else. I suppose that it's better if you learn that in class though."

"So basically, our days are going to be spent...learning?" Ash asks. "Ah man, I've never liked school."

Brock laughed. "Well, this isn't what you would call a 'normal' school. At least, there's no math here, bud."

"Right," Misty interjects, "so I suggest all of you pay attention. This stuff is actually vital."

May stares down at her bowl of oatmeal. "So when do we begin?" she asks, picking up her spoon and stirring thoughtfully.

"As soon as you all finish eating."

* * *

Their trio stands in front of the door to their first class, feeling a mixture of emotions, all ranging from nervous, wary, and above all else, scared out of their minds, but at the same time can't help but feel an excited buzz. Finally, they will be able to escape from their black marks - escape from the feeling of hell wrapping it's embrace around their mind and soul every waking day they spend alive. Whatever lies behind that door, scary or not, will all be worth it in the end.

With a deep breath, and a push from Drew, Ash turns the doorknob.

"Ah," greets an aged man as they enter, "you must be the new recruits." He is standing in front of a group of children around their age, all of whom don't seem to be the least bit thrilled about their arrival. He on the other hand, seems elated. There is a friendly smile plastered on his face that emphasizes the wrinkles around his eyes, and an aura of gentleness around him that makes May visibly relax. The man is wearing a long white lab coat that reaches down below his knee caps. "My name is Professor Oak."

May swallows, before nervously speaking, "Er, hello! Sorry for being so late, we were-"

"No need to apologize," the professor interrupts, "just take your seats. It's normal for new arrivals to be late. I understand." He gestures to the seats in front of him. "Let's get on with the class, shall we?"

The three of them nod. May, Drew, and Ash eventually make their way to the chairs and desks, choosing from the empty seats at their disposal. May sits herself down behind a boy with purple hair, who keeps his head straight ahead, not bothering to pay any of them attention. Drew sits two seats over from her, and if May moves her gaze ever-so-slightly, she can see him from the corner of her eye. Finally, Ash makes his way over to a seat beside a blonde girl, only to trip over someone's foot the last minute. Luckily for Ash he catches himself in the nick of time, but it's not enough to stop the laughter that erupts in the room. The raven haired boy smiles sheepishly, his hand flying up to the back of his head, and a flush of red appearing on his neck. May frowns as she hears an especially loud laugh from the boy who tripped him, and turns her head in the direction of the smug looking brunette. She hears Drew growl.

"Alright class, settle down," admonishes the professor. "It's time to get to work." The man paces in front of them, his back towards the large green chalkboard that has the words, D/A/R/K G/H/O/S/T, written on its expanse in clear legible handwriting. "Now we have been learning about just what these black marks of yours mean, and more importantly how they appeared. For our new arrivals, could any of you explain to them what these marks are?"

A girl with long black hair raises her hand. Professor Oak is quick to call on her. "These marks are the result of a blight; in other words, something that inflicts damage on as the result of an infection," she answers, as simple as it were an observation of the weather. The professor nods.

"Right, and how were all of you blighted?" he asks again. This time the boy with purple hair in front of May answers.

"It's simple," he says, sounding almost bored, "we were infected by a demon." May's heart skips a beat.

"Not just by any demon," reminds Professor Oak.

"No," the purple haired boy corrects himself, "by a certain kind of demon. From what you've told us, there are two types of these: ghost types, and dark types."

"Correct." The professor locks eyes with May. "You all have been blighted by demons, special kinds of demons at that. I have researched these creatures, and from what I've gathered, we have a vague understanding of how this works. For whatever reason, be it out of hunger, or a need to survive, these demons take it upon themselves to infect humans. They require life force to survive, so in order to do this, they hurt the human, and feed upon their life force through the mark. What these burns are essentially doing is breaking down your energy, soul, mind, and strength, and transferring it to their own bodies."

May's eyes go wide. The mark on her shoulder suddenly feels a thousand times heavier. He means to tell them that they've been attacked... by a demon? Not only that, but their marks are actually a sign of the demon feeding off of them? The thought disgusts her, and churns something horrible in the pit of her stomach.

Ash raises his hand, not bothering to wait until he is called upon before speaking. "So then, how do we stop this exactly?"

The brown haired boy who tripped Ash laughs at him. "It's simple," he says. "You have to purge the damn thing of course."

"Purge?"

"Do you know anything?" The kid rolls his eyes. "To purge means to remove something from someone. In this case it means getting rid of the demon inside of us."

"Wait, what!?" May yelps. After realizing she had said that out loud, the brunette covers her mouth. She shifts uncomfortably under everyone's gazes. "Er, I mean-" she feels her face get incredibly hot, "-sorry I was just surprised. You mean to tell us that the demon is...inside of us?"

The professor sighs, "yes, I'm afraid that is true. The demon is essentially eating you from the inside. It will continue doing this, burning away your life force until you are no more, before moving on to its next target. Unless of course, you purge it."

Silence encompasses the room's expanse. May feels as if her world is crashing down around her. The idea is so….unfathomable. Now she understands why the Branders are after them: they believe that they are all possessed. In a way, May supposes they are, but not in any normal way. They are still in control of their actions and thoughts, at least, May hopes so.

"Well all of this is valuable information," Drew speaks up, catching everyone's attention. He flips his hair with his hand. "But it means nothing if we don't know how to purge it. How does one even try to do that? It seems so unreal."

"Well, I have researched this considerably. I've worked here for many years, and in that large amount of time I have figured out just how this works," the professor states. He walks up to the board, and with a piece of white chalk, begins to draw. When he turns backs around, there is a spherical shape drawn neatly and precisely. "This is what my team has developed. We call it a Demon Ball."

"A demon ball," Ash voices in awe.

"It is designed to capture the demon, or in other words, purge you." The professor draws something else on the board: a creature. It is a rough sketch, but that doesn't do anything to hinder the sheer intimidation of the being.

"What is-?" Drew begins to ask.

"That," the professor says, "is a ghost type."

From what he drew, the being appears to be floating, it's hands reaching out towards the class almost as if it were trying to pull them in. They are claw like, and have three pointed fingers sharpened to points, deadly looking. It's mouth is opened in a sneer, and it's eyes tilt upwards, with snake-like slits for pupils. It's head is round, and has spikes reaching up to the sky: two on each side of its head, and a larger two on top. The darkness of the board is emphasized with the white of the chalk, and almost makes the drawing appear as if it is made of shadows. But of course, that could just be May's mind playing tricks on her.

"That thing is inside us!?" asks a girl up front.

"Yes, and if it's not one of those...it's a dark type," the professor says gravely.

"What does a dark type look like!?"

"Are all of them the same!?"

"How do you know it's like that!?"

"That's evil! Are we going to turn into that!?"

"CALM DOWN!" roars the professor, glaring daggers at the class, reducing them to silence. "Please. I know that this is a lot to take in, but please, don't over exert yourselves."

As if on cue, two kids from the back fall out of their seats and onto the floor. Their strangled cries cut through the room's expanse, and the professor rushes towards them.

Class was dismissed early.

* * *

May spends her lunch time sanctioned off in her room. It's not as if she isn't keen on socializing (especially when there are loads of people worth talking to), but after Professor Oak's class, all of her energy seemed to fly right out of the window.

(She still can't believe that coursing through her body at this very moment is some kind of beast).

So she finds herself leaning against her bed frame, staring up at her ceiling. Outside she can hear a steady drizzle of rainfall, and it's almost hypnotic, the drip-drip-dripping sound vibrating across her chest.

There is a mirror she didn't see the night before leaning against the wall to her right, and May finds herself staring at it - or rather herself. To think, this is the first time she has caught a real glimpse of herself (she has forgotten every last increment of her past life, after all, and that includes what she looks like). It comes as a bit of a shock to her. Blue eyes stare back at her, pale and rimmed with pink. Sleepless nights have clearly taken a toll on her, but then again, she supposes, everyone like her is just as sleep deprived. There are dark bags below them, and May reaches her finger towards them in an attempt to smooth them out; it doesn't work. Next, her gaze flicks towards her lips: they are cracked, and May hasn't realized until now just how much they hurt; in the middle of the night, May usually wakes up biting them, as if holding backs a scream (which she often is). She guesses she's done it enough times to inflict damage. All in all, she looks terrible. With a deep breath, May forces her head away.

She doesn't know what she expected; maybe that when she saw herself, there would be just what the Branders and everyone else seem to fear in her: a monster. There wasn't that. Instead, all she saw was a girl.

There is a knock on the door that breaks her out of her thoughts. "May?" comes a voice on the other side, "it's Ash." There is a kicking sound next, and a muffled groan that follows.

"...and Drew," comes the other voice. May giggles.

"Come in," she yells, and sits up straighter on the bed. The two boys oblige, and she can't help but smile at the sight of them. Drew looks a bit disgruntled, but there is a lazy smirk on his face that tells her everything is okay, and Ash's cheeky smile is just as reassuring.

"I know you might want to spend your lunch time alone," Ash starts, "but we thought you might fancy some company after...well after everything that has happened." He rubs his neck awkwardly - one of his nervous habits.

May turns her gaze towards Drew, and a playful smile graces her features. She teases him, "We? Does that mean you too grasshead?"

Drew's smirk falls, and a scowl comes across his face, but only for a moment before he regains his composure. "I just came to walk Ash to your room so he wouldn't get lost," he says, flipping his hair. "But I suppose since you're begging me to stay, I can hang out with the two of you." May rolls her eyes.

"Yay!" Ash cheers. "Scoot over May!"

Her day seemed to get a thousand times better then.

* * *

 **Oooh so a lot has happened huh! Can you guess who the mysterious DB is? And what pokemon I was hinting to? Thanks for reading!**


End file.
